I’ve already posted that I’ve not touched alcohol for many years – I wanted the calories for other things, it made me feel ill. And I don’t like being out of control!

It’s interesting to remember people’s reactions. People wondered if I was pregnant, adidnt think it possible for me to enjoy myself without it.

But I remember another occasion. My friend’s daughter had just graduated from medical school in Galveston and a large family group went for a celebratory meal at a very posh restaurant. You know the type – lots of different cutlery and glasses.

But only two of us didn’t want alcohol – my friends son (a recovering alcoholic) and myself. It was easy to see why people thought I wasn’t drinking. Their faces said it. And ….. although it was so posh, the only alternative to alcohol we were offered was tap water! Not even sparkling mineral water.

It’s fascinating reading about the experiences of so many on here. Whether it be alcohol, sugar, carbs, or (as we’ve just been saying) dairy products and nuts!

As has been said, we can all make choices – if we want to. So many people seem happy with their addiction that they don’t see any need to change things. Until, perhaps, something bad happens.

I’m in the “all or nothing ” group. I know that if I took a mouthful of the bad carbs it could very easily be the start of a very rapid slide down the slippery slope back to obesity and diabetes. Like a recovering alcoholic can’t taste alcohol,again.

I’ve fought that battle with the carbs. The new battle is with cream and nuts. Fortunately, at the moment, I’m ok with butter and cheese. But I’m aware that could change.

We are all learning so much about ourselves, even above and beyond the BSD. It’s great to have such a friendly, supportive, and non-judgemental group on here.

End of week two and lost 2lb! Not a great deal compared to my 7lb loss in week one.
This is my second lot of eight weeks.
The first eight weeks I followed to the letter especially avoiding any alcohol as this is my downfall, because after wine (usually when I’ve starved myself all day thinking I can enjoy the extra calories), ‘extra’ calories…inevitably staying on track goes completely out of the window whilst intoxicated, and invariably I wake up the next morning to see the evidence of cheese being eaten, crackers, butter, cake, chocolate….was that me I ask myself!? Almost wishing it had been a fat fairy burglar that had invaded our home and raided the cupboards. I then find myself frantically cleaning up any evidence in a way to brush it under the carpet and pretend it never happened (whilst secretly beating myself up about it, vowing that the day ahead will be one where I’m extra good, which I usually am).
Then weigh Day, and shock horror, when the scales either show no loss, small loss or worse, gain! At this point I find myself jumping on the scales at least five times in the vein hope they might suddenly alter, trying to balance on the balls of my feet or the sides of my heels (am I mad doing this lol, it even sounds ridiculous writing it, to think that my digital scales will alter if I tiptoe on them, who am I kidding?!).
So, to cut a long story short, I don’t think there is room for, relaxing weekends of alcohol, cake, cheese or whatever is the vice of choice, ‘if’ we want to see those big results happen quickly.
It is hard sticking to it, keeping the motivation, but thats the same with any diet. All diets will probably work if they are stuck too long enough, and that’s why I have not succeeded at losing weight in latter years.
So here is a plan, the BSD, that cuts the chase and speeds it all up, eight weeks….ONLY eight weeks to stick it out and be motivated :). Yet, as week three goes into week four, etc etc, weeks can start to feel like an eternity, but its not!
Despite my relaxed weekend of wine followed by the visit from the fat fairy, I have still managed to lose some, but I know reaching my goals will take longer.
So I have made myself a promise to stay off any alcohol for the next six weeks, which should keep my willpower in check. Not easy, but six weeks is a lot better than six months!!
So for any of you out there determined to see goals hit sooner rather than later, make yourself those promises not to allow for any cheating if you possibly can, the results and hitting goals will happen a lot quicker.
So here’s to a weekend on fizzy water to keep the fat fairy away 😇

Norfolkgal
It is lovely at Oxburgh but we love Suffolk also. Every summer we spend a few days with our dogs at the Crown and Castle at Orford which is very dog friendly and there is always superb BSD friendly food on the menu. We always book the dog table for our meals which overlooks Orford castle and the dogs are very well behaved.
Is your new dog very young?

Don’t worry about that extra pound TC, we all know they sneak back occasionally and then suddenly disappear again the same way. Being just 2.5lb form target is so close, it might well happen all in one whoosh! Stay focused, stick with it and I’m sure you will be reporting great things next time.

Rozy – well done on that swim. Swimming always leaves me peckish too, but great that you have a plan for the evening meal. If the 12-13hr overnight fast has worked for you in the past, that would seem a reasonable way to go.

Anyway, better go and cook my grand daughter her tea! Stay focused everyone.

Hi topcac,
Don’t sweat about the extra pound – sounds like we are joint members of the “own worst enemy” club!
At least recognising that is better than being in denial.
Yes, thank you, I’m feeling a bit more with it now – just got back from my swim, 50mins slogging up & down. It’s left me ravenous but I have my cold chicken to devour. I had been trying to bring forward my last meal of the day to extend the overnight fast but I’ve been having a snack later on so maybe I’ll just make sure I’ve eaten by 7pm (like I did last year) and be content with 12-13hours of overnight fasting.
Keep on, everyone.

Hi Issi – welcome back and well done on such an excellent start. Think we all need to think of this as a way of life and not a ‘diet’. Lots of folks are maintaining using the BSD principles and managing not to make huge gains back – and what is gained, they deal with by getting back to the BSD for a time. Tough to be starting from scratch, but all credit to you for deciding to give it another go, with a new attitude.

Good luck on you quest and be sure to let us know how it’s all going for you. By my calculation, you are already one seventh of the way to your target loss, so keep going and I’m sure you will be reporting more great results soon.

Hi all – yes this DOES work without doubt. So keep at it!! I’m 54, 5ft 8in, pretty fit anyway but type 2 for four years. I have had bad times with Metformin – so am desperate to kick it. Hence starting the 8-week diet.
Day nine today and I have gone from 173lbs to 163lbs. My blood was 9.6 last Monday taking tablets. I stopped taking Metformin and am now 8.2. Inches gone off my waist. Blood pressure good. Amazing.
I have followed the meal plan in the book with a few variations of my own – lots of fish – and used an exercise bike in front of the TV to help me on my way together with Michael Moseley’s exercise regimen. Giving up the booze has been hard but the results are there for all to see.
Snacking in the evenings is a worry but nuts and oranges help. Any other suggestions? For me though it’s not the weight it’s about getting that blood sugar level down – and keeping it down. Have others managed it from such a relatively healthy start? Any more tips? Cheers

KrysiaD – I used to live just up the road from Oxburgh Hall, before I moved down to Suffolk. My snowdrops are starting to flower nicely in our garden, I am so looking forward to getting out and doing some gardening again – we have had quite a lot of hedges cut back hard this winter, so more spaces to plant things!

Our new dog had an outing with OH yesterday and wore himself out making lots of new friends, didn’t hear a peep out of him last night. I think he is starting to feel settled in his new home.

I have had a very unhealthy relationship with alcohol in the past but manage to be in control (most of the time). Like Verano I am all or nothing, I can’t just have one drink unless it is carefully planned like a glass of wine with lunch and no chance for more. I’m a bit like the joke ‘what to do with leftover wine’ – what the hell is leftover wine. Just have to finish the bottle. It really is just a matter of habit and at one point when I knew things could have gone another way due to some bad things happening in my life, I decided to stop drinking completely. I read the Jason Vale book How to Quit the Booze, Now and I stopped drinking for 18 months, not a drop. One of the things that made me start again was because people were quite distrustful of me, why wasn’t I drinking, did I have a problem, did I have a problem with them drinking, was I judging them. I used to spend the whole evening having to explain myself. Also, we went on a cruise and it was so bloody awful they had to keep apologising for things going wrong and gave us drinks vouchers to make up for things. I finally gave in after a particularly annoying day when we discovered at our first shore trip that they had lost our booking and turns out they had lost everything we had booked so we were stuck on a ship in the Philippines for nearly 2 weeks. Enough to make anyone drink. I made good use of the vouchers.

During the first 8 weeks of the plan I didn’t have any alcohol.

From the experience of giving up I now drink within moderate levels, I can go without or just have one but I can still have a few too many if the mood takes me (but that is rare). However, give me a piece of chocolate and I will enjoy it and not even think of having another. I used to buy multipacks of maltesers (my favourite) and they would be in the cupboard for months and go past their eat by date.

I guess we all have things we cant say no to but as adults have to learn where to draw the line. I am not perfect and still say I won’t drink at the weekend and then give in when offered something but I know I am the one in control, hubby is not forcing me, I can be strong sometimes and sometimes not.

I find the opposite. I could never succeed on any ‘diet’ (sorry to use that word) while I was working. Now retired happily. But, I do live alone which must be easier. I just struggle when shopping and have long discussions and arguments with myself. What a good job no one can hear what’s going on in my head – would have been locked up long long ago! I have finally got it into my head that even if no one can see me eating sinful food (so it doesn’t count) – I really am only letting myself down. I don’t buy it, so can’t eat it!

Thank you Theodora for the Greek Yoghurt tip.
Had an MOT at the doctors last night and for the first time in adult life was told ‘your blood pressure is fine’. I thought I had misheard and asked her to repeat it. Guess that’s a PEAK! and the sun has been shining for the second day in a row.
Don’t seem to have a PIT

Toby, I agree, picking at home is the hardest, working full time helps, but we have half term holiday next week (I work in a school), so that’s going to be a test, I absolutely have to increase exercise then if I am going to survive!

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Bissell – yes it is lovely to also be able to take the dogs into the cafe. I was so pleased to see the frittata as the soup was leek and potato and there were lots of sandwiches and jacket potatoes on the menu.

Hopefully soon everywhere will be BSD and dog friendly.

Your NT site Dyffryn Gardens sounds lovely.

Hi Yes I followed the recipes in the book. The third day I felt a bit shaky but it left quickly.
I weigh myself every morning to see the results with a digital balance and added the weigh in the Lifesum app (free) It shows you a graph and it’s very encouraging.
In my weak moments I have taken 5 almonds, an extra cherry tomato and tea or coffee. And to be honest one glass of wine on a weekend but not every week.
You will not get that hungry because the portions are not small and all the chick peas and leech will fill you up.
I recommend to write down the pages in the menue first so you quickly can find your recipe in the book.
Good luck !
My bottom hips and breast are much smaller now. Still waiting for my belly to look better but it’s a big difference already after 4 weeks.

Well done bluebird. I am a similar age, height and weight to you. I’m only on day two and so far so good. However I haven’t really felt hungry which worries me slightly! I’m also following the meal plan, did you do do the recommended meal plan or make your own plan up? What did you do if you had any weak moments? I would love to lose a stone so around 6 or 7 kg. Have you reached your goal?

I am particularly impressed with you people who do this staying at home all day.

I find weekends really difficult and I worked from home yesterday and ended up picking far too much out of the fridge!

I find 8 hours a day in an office where it takes some effort to acquire excess food (provided you ignore the sweets/cakes people bring in – easy for me as no sweet tooth) makes this task much easier!

Sympathise with the Prosseco Mumofcrazy. My biggest downfall is booze – but by restricting it to weekends I don’t think it is slowing loss too much – I remain convinced that while it obviously does not help it does not quite have the same impact of equivalent calories in food..

That sounds lovely, KrysiaD. It’s great when you find somewhere that’s both dog friendly and BSD friendly! I take my dog to a NT site, Dyffryn Gardens, , but we have to sit outside and the main BSD meal is the soup.
How fabulous to see the snowdrops too.

Lovely walk at Oxburgh Hall – lots and lots of snowdrops. It is a lovely National Trust property with some nice woodland walks. We could also take the dogs into the cafe and I was so pleased to see smoked cheese and spinach frittata on the menu – really BSD friendly.

I didn’t need the emergency food that I had bought with me.

Hi Everyone, I’m back from our trip to North and South Carolina. It was a great trip! Today it is back to work for me and back on track. Looks like I missed a lot of “cheese, nuts, cream” chat! My weight loss efforts have slipped a bit over the 6 day travel but I’m back on my BSD plan.

PEAK: Happy Valentine’s Day Everyone! My husband’s on a business trip to Florida so I am going to dinner with a dear girl friend. I hear some are calling Valentine’s Day, “Gal-entine’s Day” because many women honor their girlfriends on this day in huge numbers. So whatever you are doing, take time to honor a friend! They are the one’s we rely on to listen to us and be there for us throughout our life!

PIT: I’m irritated that I gained a few pounds over this weekend! Ugh!!! I too must avoid the cheese, cream and nuts!

Hello All ,
Today I am struggling …………I went to low on callories yesterday, allthough I was not hungry, it gave me a bad night and I felt quite unwell, so today I am tired and just craving food . I have had my limmit in callores allready……fill up on veg for the rest of today and see what tomorrow brings. Selfcontrol will be my mantra from now until bedtime . Hoping you have kept on top of things.

Next time I think I’d oven bake it. MK

Love Nigel Slater! Was ironing and watching his tv prog at the weekend. He made a sesame seed coated salmon fillet that took 30 mins to marinate and 10 mins to cook – looked gorgeous. Marinade was sesame oil and a splash of rice wine, seasoned, then coat all over with sesame seeds. Fry in groundnut oil. I happened to have all the ingredients in the house and made it for a lone dinner, bit of lemon buttered spinach on the side. Nicest thing I’ve eaten all year and by my reckoning it was 350 cals and 5g carbs. Yummy, satisfying and easy. MKx

Hi All, not much good news for me .Another weekend of eating and drinking at gatherings and not keeping to plan,
weight today 84.7kg so down 0.2 which is at least a loss however small. BGL is 6.1 which is slightly up.
exercise this week is nil.So ,as usual I have renewed intention to be more strict.Im getting so boring as I have good intentions but stray from plan so easily.Im working for the next two days so maybe the extra exercise will help.To those of you staying on plan and getting results, well done I really admire you as I find it a real challenge.cheers

This is the end of my first week too and I have lost 9lbs! Really pleased long may it continue, good luck!

Hi everyone this is my first week on this diet, have done it before but fell off the wagon! I know it works and this 1st week weigh in proves it as I lost 9lbs already and am really pleased with that. I lost 33lbs last time but sadly put it back on so I know I need to get my head around doing this for life! I am not diabetic but this diet works for me so I am trying again and would like to lose 65lbs so am in it for the long haul!

I have followed the diet for 4 weeks only and IT WORKS!!
Gone from 73.2kg to 66.7 = minus 6,5 kg and 8 cm around height of belly button.
I was always eating quite healthy but too much fruit. (4-5 a day) and snacking in between.
My crawings are more or less gone thanks to a more stable bloodsugar. I still don’t work out much. Try to have a fast walk twice a week.
I am 54 years old non diabetic and doing this together with my husband whose belly is gone!!
I tried 5:2 before but didn’t see results as with this 800kcal diet with little carbohydrates!
Thank you Dr Mosley

A pound on for me – so my goal has slipped away to 2.5lbs now – I’m trying to be kind to myself – I know why, I ate too much of the wrong stuff – but I’m sure that a few days on the right stuff will see me right. I’m my own worst enemy – really!!

Well done Sunny on your fabulous loss – must be lovely get a result like that every once in a while now that you’re so close to target!

Hope everyone else is doing well, wish you better Rozy

and Happy Valentine’s Day (if you do that sort of thing) x
TC

Hi All,

So Although I am weighing in every day, I have decided to move my official weigh in day to a Friday as that is my lowest weight of teh week usually (or Sat) as my weekend relaxing alwasys seems to lead to a higher weight on a Monday.

I had a massively big weekend of eating/drinking too much, booze is always going to be my downfall, and to be honest the 3 bottles of prosecco I had with a friend on Saturday night (I had a really good strict day of food) meant I was so hungover on Sunday that I blew it all off and ended up eating biscuits, dark chocolate and then roast chicken, mash, yorkshire puddings, veg and gravy, I didn’t eat a load of sugar, but just needed the carbs, but I was straight back on the wagon yesterday, mostly protein and fat, and today I am back to Fridays weight, So I have still lost 1 stone and 4 pounds (8.16kg)

Today I am wearing a dress I bought a while ago, that was too tight, but I loved, I have had lots of compliments and feel positive about these last 2 weeks of the 8 weeks….although like lots of you, I am planning on continuing, as I need to be strict during the week to offset my weekend indulgences, and I cannot go back to just eating and drinking what I like all the time!

loved reading all your great progresses, too many of you to mention, some of you who are being super strict really inspire me, and the ones more like me who allow themselves indulgences and have slip ups make me feel part of a like minded gang.

long term or short term, this definitely works, still feeling guilty about my lack of additional exercise though, maybe tonight!!!

Happy Valentines, keep away from the chocs and cook a yummy steak instead! x

Hi all

Been ages since I posted – sorry – work has been absolutely manic and home…well …wedding prep ‘ad infinitum’ So I’ve had some very good BSD days and some decidedly NOT good BSD days. Net effect was a pound on at weigh in which is still under target so I’m taking that as a victory.

My work colleague came in with two heart shaped chocolates asking me to save him from himself – but who’s going to save me from MYSELF – apparently no one – except me, so that didn’t work and down the hatch with two chocolates – let’s hope I can stay at two!!!

Have a great Valentine’s Day all xxx

Hi everyone, Week 6 Day2 for me. Decided not to weigh until end of week 8. Slow and steady is my motto. That’s why I’ve given myself until the end of this year to reach my goal of 10sts. A loss of 56lbs. I haven’t been that weight for 30years.Havent touched potatoes, rice, pasta since the start. I now have 1 slice of low carb bread once a week. My biggest challenge has been biscuits, scones and eating 3 or more apples a day. Then this week I was offered a big iced bun and actually turned it down. It used to be ‘Just this once’ before.

As I’m now retired, so at home most of the day, keeping busy and out of the kitchen has helped as well as keeping hands busy knitting or crocheting in the evenings.

Clothes seem to fit better. Also I sleep better. Used to be up every 11/2hrs going to the bathroom, now just once and straight back to sleep. I seem to have a bit more energy in that I don’t need a nap in the afternoon.

Well done to everyone whatever the results. If we keep at it, it has to work.Love reading all the posts. Best wishes to everyone on this journey.
M

Thanks SunnyB & cmawp for your words of encouragement. My mojo keeps going AWOL – might have to chain it up in a cellar. Currently feeling a bit cold & nursing a bit of a headache so I’ve just downed an extra glass of water.
Cmawp – you’re right – I’ve probably got maintenance cracked! 🙂 The shopping list is being written – with the words “NO EXTRAS” at the top. I roasted a chicken this weekend so I’ve got cold chicken to eat up this week – did the chicken & bulgar wheat “risotto” last night.

Just steeling myself to go for a swim this afternoon. Soon be time to make courgette & tomato soup for lunch…

Good luck for your continued efforts.

No Verano, you would have been starving half an hour later and the carb monster would have been knocking on the inside of your head, eat me eat me. Don’t do it.

Oh and yes, happy Valentines Day. I am at French class this afternoon and I am taking a bottle of champagne to share with love. I want to see what they think of my non alcoholic elderberry champagne but not going to tell them it is not real, except the Muslim girls who would refuse it so I will let them in on the secret.

Good morning and Happy Valentines for those who celebrate

Ok so last night I made the ‘peppered’ courgette. It was lovely BUT I logged it on Fatsecret and was actually amazed at the carb/calorie count. I only had vegetables and the calorie count was 306 but the carbs came to 27.5g!!!! My whole day’s food was 680 calories but 48.5g carbs.

I just can’t get my head around the fact that vegetables have so many carbs. I didn’t eat an excessive amount, maybe 300/350g in total. I know I’ve been down this route before but this is the one bit about BSD that I find the most difficult.

I wanted to make Bolognese today but I normally add tinned tomatoes and passata but when I look at the carbs I’m wondering if all carbs are made equal. Are the sugars in tomatoes really as ‘harmful’ as those in a teaspoon of refined sugar, which none of us would even think of eating these days?

I guess I’m just going through a ‘confused’ phase again. I could have had 3 McVities digestive biscuits and some coffee with cream for my dinner last night, similar number of calories, and had the same number of carbs and maybe more satisfaction!!!!

It’s so motivating hearing everyones results!

I started on January 16th and I’ve lost 6.6Kg (14.5lbs). I’ve loosely stuck to the recipe book, only eating meals from there but sometimes substituting foods in. I have a cheat day every week which really helps me stay on track. It gives me something to look forward to and afterward I feel satisfied so I know I won’t cheat again for another week & as long as the day after is light, there is no real change to the scales! I want to start doing more exercise as I only do around an hour and a half of walking a day but I’m scared to join a gym. I just wish I had a full length mirror, it’s so hard to track my weight loss when I can’t even see myself in a mirror. Luckily i took a picture of myself last year when I was around the same starting weight so as soon as I have access to a full length mirror I’ll be taking that picture! Hopefully it’ll keep me motivated to carry on until summer :)!

Thanks for bringing this topic back to the top Angela06.

Interestingly I have been ill, well that’s not interesting, but, I haven’t had any red wine for nearly 4 weeks because I really have been taking antibiotics! As a result my weight loss has increased, possibly in part due to my illness, but nonetheless in my heart of hearts I know that you can’t drink and lose the optimum amount of weight.

I guess drinking becomes ‘habit’ in much the same way as consuming carbs does. We don’t really need either.

As for society’s view of alcohol I think that is entrenched and the chances of it changing very slim. Look at the three main UK ‘soaps’ and they all have a pub at their heart. In fact there are very few TV programs that don’t feature alcohol as part and parcel of any social situation.

It took many, many years for smoking to become classed an ‘anti-social’ habit and that in part was due to the fact that it affected non-smokers. I’m sure most people can remember the adverts where a mother is smoking outside the back door and the smoke is drifting into the house where her children are playing, and hence ‘smoking’. Similarly the one in a car. Now the adverts show the horrors of nasty things ‘erupting’ from a lit cigarette.

When did you last see a ‘nasty’ object floating in a glass in an advert for any alcoholic drink??? Alcohol is part of life and many people enjoy an odd glass of whatever with no ill effects. So I guess it comes down to choice again. How many people have heard the words …’ I couldn’t live without bread/potatoes etc.’ Well we all do with no ill effects. Maybe alcohol is the same as carbs… fine for some but ‘poison’ for others.

Verano – actually that’s exactly what my daughter’s have said in the past. They have said – thank goodness I have never liked alcohol as it would have been worse if the addiction had been to alcohol. So my addiction is to the carby and sugary stuff – and you are right that once you identify your poison you have a chance to improve your life.

Thanks again, folks. I was already using Fybogel (ispaghula husk) when I started the diet – had been using it for a couple of weeks or so, but after a couple fo days on the diet I did a bit more digging about Fybogel and found that it increases blood sugar levels so immediately dropped it. I seeds that I use with porage and yogurt are a mix containing flax and chia, but I only add 10g or so in view of their very high calorific value.
Today I am really going try and cut down on the carbs and will do so for at least a couple of days before reverting to porage occasionally as opposed to every day.
Thanks again
Mike

Many thanks Esnecca, I’ve not encountered kelp noodles before but they sound really interesting so I will see if I can get some. Otherwise I think it will have to be cauli for a while – we live in the rural south-west so the choice of supermarkets is minimal! I do still occasionally get a courgette in my Riverford box (they were grown in France at the Riverford farm over there, where the season is earlier and has not been affected like Spain). Thanks also for the info on squash, I hadn’t realised they were so carb heavy. I’ll be starting the 12 week Aussie program next week so I will just have to hope courgettes don’t appear too often!

Krysia

What you’re describing sounds like the description of a recovering alcoholic. Fine until you have the first drink/mouthful. I suppose when you think about it there’s no reason why ‘addiction’ to any substance should be any different. I guess it’s just that you would never have considered sugary carbs to be ‘addictive’ until recent times.

Interesting thoughts! At least once you recognise your own ‘poison’ you have a chance to improve life. It’s only when you keep your head in the sand that miss out on all the good things in life.

Enjoy the snowdrops!

Sunshine-girl if only somebody would cut that damn string and let the yo-yo fall to the ground!! It will happen, just have to keep on keeping on!

Weighed in today at 9st 6.5lbs which is a little higher than last week but well within my target range for maintenance. I will cut down on the cream a bit this week to drop to 9stone 6lbs.

Today is a glorious day here in East Anglia and as I have a day off we are visiting Oxborough Hall to see the snowdrops. We are looking forward to taking the Labradors. They are allowing dogs into the grounds and gardens for the first time this year on a trial basis so we are really looking forward to it.

I still can’t get to 30g fibre at the moment, but can often now hit my target on Crono of 25g as I have increased my calories. I used chia seed in yoghurt, porridge or smoothies to get my fibre up while on 800, and have kept using it now as it seems to help. I also have some psyllium husk powder for emergencies, but rarely have to resort to that. I regard the difficulty getting enough fibre and the fact you suddenly have to add salt to things as two of the biggest ‘problems’ I had with getting my head around how my body worked on 800 calories.

Good morning and Happy Valentines to those who celebrate

Thanks for sharing my good ‘news’ so enthusiastically. It’s onwards now to my next appointment and that chat about metformin!

It’s quite strange that I have lost more weight since my last test but my HbA1c has remained stable. I know I can’t expect to be more normal than normal sunshine-girl, but I thought that my weight was the major issue but it would seem that once you ditch the carbs that does the trick. Interesting!

MK you did really well in the face of adversity. I sometimes think ‘thin’ women can be so bitchy when they see someone eating healthily because they are frightened you will become slimmer and healthier than they are. People often need somebody, who they consider less than perfect, to make themselves feel good or superior. Thing is with this way of eating you WILL become healthier than they are!!!!

Hope you have a good day.

When reading through recent posts, I came across frequent references to alcohol so I thought I’d resurrect this not so old thread to put our experiences out there.

I drink very, very little: a glass of champagne for a celebration and since starting the BSD I mostly don’t finish that. It’s not that I didn’t try in the past but alcohol just doesn’t press my buttons. Dairy does! OH who’s following the BSD with me likes a few glasses with dinner and isn’t interested in changing that but we have noticed that the fewer carbs he eats the more wine he drinks. Since November his consumption has crept up till he was starting a second bottle. Not good. Obviously. So recognising that, he’s put some guidelines in place limiting his consumption and I’ve added slow carbs into his meal to help. His tolerance had also lessened so he was getting drunk on much less. That’s just our experience and I hope it might help BSDers out there who are finding alcohol hard to quit.

I know very little about addiction but I do know that when I gave up smoking years ago, I took up eating. Cross addiction I think it’s called, is a real possibility. personally I’m still exchanging one food addiction for another, hopefully less harmful food, and if I have to be addicted to something I’d like it not to have anything to do with food. I’m doing the 1,000 mile walk which is helping.

Sorry for ranting! These thoughts have been running round my brain and I wondered if anyone had thoughts on the subject.

Hi Sumo

I think one of the great things about this way of eating is that you can actually ‘live’ life. I think the plan is so flexible that you can fit it around your lifestyle and succeed. I agree that some people are able to follow a smooth path almost straight down to their goal but for most the ride is a little bumpy. The really important thing is that we all get there in the end.

I hear what you say about your pain in your knees and ankles and it will improve as your weight drops. I have mobility problems and walk with crutches but I have noticed that I am now able to stand up from a seated position far more easily and the pains I suffer from my hip are far less noticeable. So just focus on becoming pain free and you will get there. It may take time but the time will pass anyway!!!

Good luck with your journey.

Mixnmatch – that’s an interesting thought – the lack of an off switch when you eat white carbs and sugar.

That’s exactly what it feels like for me – there is no off switch. I have no problem with not eating them in the first place and have no cravings or desire to eat them. So even if I was surrounded by the most delicious looking carby sugary stuff (and often have been since I started in May) I have no problem saying no. It takes absolutely no willpower as it is just so easy. Actually it doesn’t look that delicious to me anymore.

But one mouthful and the off switch malfunctions and the craving for more of the starchy sweet stuff really get going and I just can’t stop – even when I have really eaten too much and feel uncomfortable. I have done that so often in the past and have always hated myself afterwards for the lack of willpower.

It is a rather nice thought – it was never about a lack of willpower – it was always about not having an off switch. So my strategy of not eating a single mouthful of sugary and starchy carbs is absolutely the right strategy for me and will enable me to continue with maintenance in the long term.

And anyway who needs that stuff when you have Fage yoghurt, stilton cheese, avocados, broccoli and stilton soup, delicious stir fries, nuts and Lindt 90% dark chocolate and last but not least – Nespresso coffee with cream.

Good morning,

congratulations to the January starters still on plan.
LizV: 30lbs down that’s amazing and congratulations to TumTum, Libby and Susannah. Ebs, well done not going to the party.
ClarinetCathy: a loss no matter how small is a loss! And SueBlue even if the scales don’t show it, something good is happening on the inside.

My end of week 6 shows a 700g loss. I’m a tiny bit disappointed as I was chugging along very nicely till dinner guests derailed me. In a nutshell, the meal itself fell perfectly into BSD guidelines but the leftover cheese in the fridge was my undoing. I can’t do that again. Ideally I’d like a fridge located down the bottom of the garden so I’d have to make an effort to get to the goodies!!!

The lesson I’ve learned is that I’ll still cave into temptation. My tastes have changed so sugar isn’t attractive anymore but dairy and all that lovely fat? Yum. I’m going to embrace the “food is fuel” philosophy again this week: it worked last week.

Wishing you all a great week 7. Angela

M&M thanks for that, I can stop beating my self over not getting there fast enough, I think my focus is increased pain in my knees, & my ankles coming out in sympathy.

Those that can just get on and do it are an inspiration but that is not the norm for the rest of us, life gets in the way?

Hi Mike
I think 30g of fibre on 800 calories is actually impossible. I see you do add seeds which are a good fibre source but have to be restricted on the 800 because they are so high in calories. I don’t think that Michael Moseley expects anyone to eat 30g of of fibre on the 800 and you are actually doing really well with your fibre on that level of calories.

I can do the 30g of fibre now I am on much higher calories in maintenance. As well as 40g of ground flaxseeds I do add the supplement Inulin which is very low in calories but incredibly high in fibre but you can’t have that much or it causes explosive activity in the digestive system.